The invention generally relates to a technique for continuous modulation of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) signals.
Many recent implementations of digital wireless communication systems (wireless or cable-based systems, for example) use Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) for environments where there is strong interference or multipath reflections. However, one disadvantage of using OFDM is the use of a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and an inverse FFT (IFFT) in the demodulator (for an OFDM transmitter) and modulator (for an OFDM receiver), respectively. In this manner, as described below, the calculation of the FFT and inverse FFT may add a considerable amount of complexity to OFDM transmitter/receiver due to the large processing block that is required on each end of the communication link.
For purposes of maximizing statistical multiplexing gain, many communication systems assign subsets of OFDM subcarriers to individual users, terminals or electrical devices in both the upstream and downstream directions. In this manner, the data associated with a particular user, terminal or electrical device is modulated via the associated subset of OFDM subcarriers. The resultant OFDM modulated signal is then modulated via an RF carrier signal, and the resultant signal is transmitted over a wireless link. This OFDMA modulation technique is commonly called OFDMA for Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access.
The IFFT is an N point operation, i.e., the IFFT is based on a set of N subcarriers. In this manner, for the OFDM transmitter, the data that is assigned to a particular subset of these subcarriers forms an IFFT input data vector that is processed via the IFFT to produce a digital signal. This signal represents the modulation of the data with the subset of subcarriers. The IFFT involves numerous mathematical operations (accumulate and multiply operations, for example) and requires an input data vector of N coefficients.
It is possible that some of the OFDM subcarriers may not be assigned to a particular transmitter. As a result, the block computation of the IFFT for OFDM modulation may involve using zeros for the N coefficients (of the IFFT input data vector) that are associated with the unassigned subcarriers. As a result of the use of these zero value coefficients, many zero result mathematical operations in the IFFT are performed, thereby resulting in inefficient computation of the IFFT.
Thus, there is a continuing need for an arrangement or technique to address one or more of the problems that are stated above.